Hoilett to the rescue for Rovers

19 March 2011 07:30

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Junior Hoilett's injury-time header earned a vital 2-2 draw for Blackburn against fellow strugglers Blackpool.
The visitors were in control after captain Charlie Adam had netted a contentious 25th-minute penalty and curled in a sublime free-kick four minutes later. But Christopher Samba pulled one back and Blackburn's incessant pressure paid off when Richard Kingson gifted Hoilett the winner. The result keeps both sides a point above the relegation zone.
Blackpool thought they had taken the lead in the 20th minute when Adam's free-kick was turned in by Luke Varney but he was belatedly flagged offside. The Seasiders took the lead from the spot. Jason Puncheon played in Gary Taylor-Fletcher, who appeared to get his shot away before being caught by Ryan Nelsen. Blackburn were furious with referee Howard Webb but Adam slotted home.
There was no luck involved when Adam doubled the lead. After being fouled 25 yards out by Jones, the midfielder picked himself up to curl a precise shot into the top corner.
Blackburn should have pulled a goal back in the opening seconds of the second half when Hoilett danced into the area and picked out Steven Nzonzi, who fired into the side-netting. But a spell of pinball in the Blackpool box in the 49th minute ended with captain Samba sending a low shot into the bottom corner after Hoilett and Diouf saw shots blocked.
Puncheon forced a decent save from Robinson and Martin Olsson hit the Blackpool post. Samba's header was cleared off the line by Stephen Crainey and his follow-up deflected wide off Rovers substitute Jason Roberts, who then hooked against the post. In the third minute of injury time, Rovers finally got the equaliser they craved. Kingson could not get hands to Robinson's long free-kick and Hoilett headed over keeper and defence.